Today’s quick review: Three. After being shot in the head by a police officer, Shun (Hon-Leung Chung), a brainy criminal, is taken to a hospital for treatment. Refusing surgery, Shun bides his time until he can stage an escape attempt with the help of his associates on the outside. As Dr. Qian Tong (Wei Zhao), a driven neurosurgeon, urges him to accept treatment, Inspector Ken Chan (Louis Koo) resorts to unethical means to cover up the shooting.
Three is a Chinese crime drama about a criminal whose head injury poses a problem for doctor and police officer alike. Three is a complex, deliberately paced movie whose premise weaves in a number of interesting plot threads. A tense situation, clever twists, and competent moment-to-moment execution provide lots of raw potential, but the big picture leaves something to be desired. The result is a promising film with mediocre follow-through.
Three has a set of interesting puzzle pieces, but it doesn’t know how to assemble them. Chan’s cover-up of police misconduct, Shun’s manipulation of his captors, and Tong’s struggle with her conscience give the film plenty of drama to work with. The mystery surrounding the shooting, Shun’s ambiguous goals, and the looming threat of the breakout heighten the tension even more. Three has the makings of a complex and delicate thriller.
But Three fails to fully capitalize on this potential. Slow pacing and the lack of a clear source of danger render the film’s drama toothless, at least for the bulk of its lengthy build-up. Shun’s shaky medical condition makes him hard to take seriously as a mastermind, while the plan to rescue him is half-baked. Three also has a tendency to drift into medical drama when nothing else is going on, taking focus away from the criminal side of the plot.
Give Three a shot when you’re in the mood for a slower, more complicated sort of crime movie. Many of its best ideas go to waste, but their novelty, coupled with the sound execution of its individual scenes, make it a reasonable pick for those who are interested. For a minimalistic cat-and-mouse game with a more sinister mystery, try The Interview. For a heist movie about a brilliant criminal, try Inside Man.
6.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for an interesting premise and mixed execution.